Chapter 390 - A Spark

Note :

The events are getting rather dense. Hopefully it's not too much.

Chapter 390

Plains of Reclaiming, Duchy of Asaria

City of Asaria, Capital of the Asarian Kingdom

"A significant departure from the plan." Said the Herald.

Joachim nodded.

"Yes. But an inevitable response to unforeseen circumstances."

The last time he had spoken to the Herald had been back when Lesly had taken out the ruins beneath her, and caused the Hammer of Eternity's battlegroup to respond to the facility AI's distress call. He had gained many lines on his face since then.

Of course the Herald hadn't changed one bit, encased within her strange armor. Half in, and half out of reality, flickering like a specter.

Something bothered him about that suit. The make, the style, was clearly Sagitarian.

But something was just wrong with it. Something he couldn't put his finger on. It was as if it had technology that just...wasn't of the Old World. Not human. Not 'Divine' either.

Something else entirely. Something...older.

Perhaps...perhaps it wasn't the style that was Sagitarian.

It was the Sagitarian style trying to imitate this?

He didn't say anything. He had a feeling any enquiry about this wouldn't end well.

"Inevitable? Others would say otherwise."

"Others like the Grandmaster?"

Their gazes met. The Herald was just that, a messenger for the leader of the Order. Her voice was his voice, and her words were law as far as anyone in the Order was concerned.

"No." The Herald tilted her head. "Curious. Last we spoke, you were terrified of me."

"I have made my peace."

The Herald held his gaze for a few seconds, then nodded.

"So you have." Her voice was marginally warmer and less dismissive. "Are you ready for the next phase?"

"I am." He tapped a tablet on his sparse desk. Paper was not a great thing to use when one was operating in a secret Order where any breach could spell the death of millions. Of course, it still had its uses, but even in a place as conservative and backwards as Asaria technology wise, he was careful with his usage of it. "I believe Lesly will use the opportunity to take the Sapphire throne and bait the Far Reach and Gorromar into joining her new Empire. She will have to vainquish the council of archmages and the UDC militarily, but she will probably be able to cut a deal with what remains of both."

"Believe?"

"If I were good enough to predict her every move and have her vision, I would either be in that dungeon with her or at a higher rank."

"Perhaps. What do you think of this Aurorean Empire? And its ruler?"

Joachim blinked at the abrupt change in subject.

"Her record has been studied extensively. Some of it has been expunged, but she appears suitable."

"And controlable? High commander Lesly seems to have given her a loose leash."

Ah.

That's what this was about then.

He had to admit he'd felt a little bit...uncomfortable. If Lesly had taken one thing from Eriksen, it was his tendency to take protégés.

Which would be suicidal, in this case. But you never knew.

"I've worked with her extensively. 'Loose' does not mean she cannot tighten it back up in an instant."

There was a pause. Joachim could understand it. Allya Nouvelle-Aurore, puppet or no, was about to have an immense amount of power in her hands.

And not only was she not a member of the Order, she was also known for extraordinarily impulsive, life destroying decisions.

"...Very well. You have the Grandmaster's permission to proceed. And quickly. It must be done before this 'summit' is over."

"Understood."

The Herald left, without another word, and Joachim looked at his tablet again.

Another operation whose success he would no doubt owe to that recovered agent, former Republic Colonel Orzal Vek. His talents had been wasted under the Senate.

That series of ambushes against the Inquisition and the Seraphim had been masterful. Now it was time to use its fruits.

And give Lesly all the casus belli she could ever possibly need.

*****

"Ten dungeons freed. Not too bad for the first night." Said Ghost as she sat down next to Alexandra.

"Yeah." The dungeon core closed her eyes, and leaned back into her seat in the command center. "I'm going to need a vacation after all this."

And she'd just taken one. Sort of. That operation had been straining as all hell. She may be immune to many physical problems, but she certainly wasn't free from stress.

They probably could have squeezed in a few more advisors to modify, but better to take an extra night than risk a misstep. They had time, after all.

"Me too sister, me too..."

"I had something planned, but, uh..."

"Let me guess, it involves you being a bit off the ground?"

"No!" Alexandra blushed. "Damn it, why do you always have to bring that up?"

"It does seem to be a favorite of Emilia's."

The dungeon core shook her head.

"And you're saying that Arcie didn't do it sometimes?"

The apparition looked away.

"Alright, fine. Truce?"

"Truce."

There was a short silence.

"I'm getting worried." Finally said Alexandra. "About the pressure on you. You're..."

"Fundamentally unstable?"

"...Yeah."

The apparition shrugged.

"I probably am. But I think the pressure is actually holding me together, perversely enough."

"That doesn't mean that too much of it won't destroy you."

Their gazes met.

"I suppose not." Said the apparition softly. "Do you have a solution?"

"I could sicc CQ on you."

Ghost smiled.

"You could. How is she doing by the way?"

"She's antsy. Working on the fourth floor and preparing the praetorian guard for combat. Plus getting a new, improved version of her royal guard ready to move out if we can afford to use a lower tech solution."

"You fear a high tech engagement?"

"It's one of the many reasons why I didn't go with our original 'stage a false flag order attack on the advisors' idea. That and, you know, the massive amount of points of failure of a scheme like that."

"Which I agreed with, mind you." Ghost rocked back and forth in her own seat. "Think they can realize not all of it was salvage?"

"Even if they think it was all stuff we scrounged up, they might start digging, and we can't afford that." Alexandra's finger drummed on the armrest. "The problem is can we afford to risk countering them with low tech forces? I refuse to believe the guys they'll use won't know how to make use of the gear they stole. Nor that they won't have an archon ready to step in. Or hell, multiple."

"There has to be a limit to the number the guild has. And they've lost a fair few."

"I know, but we're so far beyond 'hope for the best' now."

"Blood magic can help with that, right?"

"To some extent. Supposedly the eye thing spell, you know the one Emilia used to kill the Republic's first core thieves?" The apparition nodded. "Supposedly it can kill anything, but it takes a lot of blood, mana and time to set up. They'd have destroyed whoever is doing it long before it would materialize. Or gotten out of the area. There's other more specialized stuff but it gets progressively more complicated. Emilia is good. She's very good. But she isn't an archmage. And let's be real, neither am I."

"Please tell me you're not suggesting what I think you are."

"I'm not. We would never be able to trust her. And I'm not going to enlist slaver scum as combat personel."

"Good. And you're probably being too harsh on yourself. You know a lot about magic, and you have the power to back it up."

"Maybe. But the last time I actually kicked someone's teeth in was when they invaded the command center. And it's not like I can use my magic through the golems."

"True."

Alexandra sighed.

"At least things are going okay on the imperial side."

"True. The Hegemon's announcement has been one hell of a kick in the anthill in Elkis."

"And our own little announcement?"

"So far, nothing has leaked to the public. But it's making its way through the vampires."

Alexandra smiled.

"Good. It should get to the right ears soon enough."

"Not afraid it'll cause the Guild to overreact?"

"If I'm right, they're already throwing everything they've got at us. I'd rather it be on our terms. Plus, it should finish off the Senate." She frowned. "I hope."

"Well, if anything can get them to fold, it's this. You've gotten...quite the reputation."

"I guess so." The dungeon core looked at her other self. "Reminds me, once I officially take command of the various armies, I'll need some robust assistance."

"The new AIs are almost ready for first activation."

"Good. In the meantime, Frankie and the triplets should have arrived at their destination. They should be handle the Republic side of things at least for now." Alexandra said, before stretching and standing up. "Alright, enough mopping around. Let's get to it."

"Right behind you."

*****

Amelia watched as the troops streamed out of the city.

Pavrow. By some accounts, it was the greatest fortress on Arkhan. Perhaps only second to SouthMarch.

A fortress never taken.

Until today.

A group of people trudged the hill towards her. Some were civilians. Others military. As they neared her, she went down the hill slightly. Not meeting them halfway, but meeting them nonetheless.

She stopped at the edge of the shadow hanging over her.

A shadow cast by an idling airship.

"General Amelia." Said the leader of the group, as they came to a halt a respectful distance away.

She nodded.

"Governor."

"We have come to discuss terms of surrender of the city of Pavrow and its garrison to you and your...Empire." His eyes snuck up to the banners hanging behind her.

"Discuss?" She gazed at the troops forming up outside the walls, like on a parade. Arrayed like that, the Frank Exchange of Views would wipe them out in a handful of volleys. She wouldn't even need to order her howitzers to open fire. They had to know that. "Truly? What is there to discuss?"

The governor cleared his throat.

"Several...actors, have request clarification on the stance the New Republic and the Empire would have towards trade and economic policy."

Amelia just stared at him.

Crystal's siege ship had just blown their walls wide open -admittedly, after she'd weakened them with her own artillery-, opening a breach, they were moving their entire garrison out for surrender, and they wanted to talk about-

Oh.

They meant those who had worked with the Senate. Which was to say, every trading house, manufactory owner or anyone moving even a modest around of goods and money around.

This wasn't Mystral. A sleepy little town in the middle of nowhere, serving as a stopover point.

Pavrow had industry. Not anything like Gorromar or Tark would, but there were smithies, manufactories, artisans...

People who were now in the double bind of not only having worked with the people they were fighting, but surrendering to an Empire that had the Hegemony in it.

If you could access the factories of Tark, and the mines of Sunrise, why would anyone care about the livelyhoods of the little traitorous people of Pavrow?

She made a show of nodding.

"I understand that these...actors may have some concerns. But believe me, her Imperial Majesty has no interest in discriminating. As her stewardship of Erakis has amply demonstrated."

The governor relaxed. Interestingly, so did some of the military people.

"That is reassuring. My apologies, general." He cleared his throat. "I, Governor...uh..." He hesitated as one of her aides came barelling down the hill.

She frowned.

"Excuse me for a second." She took a couple of steps as the young officer came to a halt in front of her, clearly winded. "What is it?"

"Ma'am. We've received news from...from some of our informants." Her extensive network of supporters were still reporting in, despite having lost some to the declaration of the Empire. In fact, she'd even gained a few in certain places, now that it looked like she'd have oversight that meant their promises. "The news are already starting to spread."

"Show me."

The aide extended a small set of papers, and she quickly flipped through them.

Her eyes went wide.

Oh hell.

The slave brands were Sapphirian?!?

She whirled around, causing the assembled notaries to jump up.

"I accept your surrender Governor. But if you will please excuse me, there is an emergency I must tend to." She grabbed her aide by the arm, dragging him up the hill. "Get me a secure line to Allya. Now."